Chapter 21: Unforeseen Circumstances
Over the next week, Harry, Ron, Hermionie and Marcus continued the final stages of their library research, finding out the last essential details about the Knights of Soctaria. By the weekend they decided that they desperately needed a break from the library, so they sent an O-Mail to Fred and George, updating them on what they found, and telling them to meet them at "The Three Broomsticks" on Sunday.
Finally, when Sunday came, Harry and Marcus had got a long way behind with their homework, so had to stay at school to finish it... (The threats from Snape were a deciding factor)... Hermionie and Ron therefore went alone...
"Do you really think we can pull this off?" Hermionie broke the silence as they walked into the village.
"I think we can, but it's very difficult... Risky..." Ron answered.
"I think Harry's really cut up over it... It's affecting him a lot..." She added.
"He's taking it pretty badly. It was hard for him when Cedric was killed, and Harry was hardly that close to him... He's mad about Cho, he's so afraid to lose her..."
"I just hope he doesn't do anything stupid and get himself killed..."
"He won't..."
"Maybe... I would still feel better if I thought he was a little more objective about it all..."
"Well, I know my brothers will help if they're asked, but they won't volunteer..."
"We need all the help we can get..." Hermionie finished. They arrived outside the Three Broomsticks a few minutes later.
"It gives me chills to stand here..." Hermionie said. "Knowing this is where Cho was taken... I almost went with her..."
"Well, you didn't, so let's get inside..." Said Ron, feeling a little uncomfortable himself... They entered the Three Broomsticks and met Fred and George...
The four of them talked for roughly three hours before Ron and Hermionie decided that it was time to get back. They had told Fred and George all that they had found out about the knights, as well as their plan to get the kidnapped students back... The brothers had been receptive to the idea, and had agreed to come with them when their plan was put into effect in a few weeks. The details would be O-Mailed later...
The four walked out of the pub and said their goodbyes... Fred and George took to their broomsticks, and launched themselves to the skies... As soon as they had left the area, it happened...
As if from nowhere, five knights appeared on either side of Ron and Hermionie... The two friends looked to each other, then began to fight the knights, Ron took the left hand five, and Hermionie went for the right hand five...
Ron was much smaller than the knights, but was also quicker... He moved to the first knight, and lunged at him with all his might, throwing a right hook which sent the knight stumbling backwards... He reversed his position, and kicked at the second knight, knocking him to the floor...
Hermionie had decided on slightly different tactics... She had grabbed a chair from one of the few tables outside the door, and used it to knock down the first knight which tried to tackle her... She had then used the chair to divert the now drawn sword of the second warrior, who she then punched square on the nose, causing it to bleed quite badly...
As this was happening, two figures appeared in the sky... The Weasley twins had heard the cries, and turned around... They had conjured what looked to be their old Quidditch bats... They swooped to each set of knights, knocking down the ones closest to Hermionie and Ron, before jumping off their brooms and joining the fist fight...
Fred and Ron managed to take down another of the knights, before they noticed that more were arriving... Ron spoke urgently...
"Grab your brooms! Tell Harry what happened!"
Hermionie obviously had the same thoughts, although she and George seemed to have their knights more or less under control...
"GO! NOW!"
Without answering, the twins raced to their brooms and took off... The knights didn't follow, obviously wanting just Hermionie and Ron. They surrendered. There was no point in them trying to fight off these 30 knights... Even so, without warning, the knights smacked them over their heads with the bats dropped by Fred and George, knocking them out cold...
Twenty minutes later, Fred and George landed at Hagrid's hut, where they had seen Harry and Marcus through the window...
"Harry!" Fred shouted as he knocked on the door... Hagrid opened it as Harry stood up, looking concerned...
"Harry, they took Ron and Hermionie..." George explained... "They took them by surprise after we came out of the Three Broomsticks..."
"We came back when we heard them shouting, but it was too late, there were already too many of the knights..."
"They told us to get away while we could on our brooms, and to tell you what happened..."
Harry simply sat back down, looking totally crushed... Marcus did the same...
"Harry..." Hagrid began. Harry held up his hand to stop him... This was the worst thing that could have happened... His two best friends, his girlfriend... All gone... Finally, he spoke...
"Fred, George... I need to ask you a favour..."
Over the next week, Harry, Ron, Hermionie and Marcus continued the final stages of their library research, finding out the last essential details about the Knights of Soctaria. By the weekend they decided that they desperately needed a break from the library, so they sent an O-Mail to Fred and George, updating them on what they found, and telling them to meet them at "The Three Broomsticks" on Sunday.
Finally, when Sunday came, Harry and Marcus had got a long way behind with their homework, so had to stay at school to finish it... (The threats from Snape were a deciding factor)... Hermionie and Ron therefore went alone...
"Do you really think we can pull this off?" Hermionie broke the silence as they walked into the village.
"I think we can, but it's very difficult... Risky..." Ron answered.
"I think Harry's really cut up over it... It's affecting him a lot..." She added.
"He's taking it pretty badly. It was hard for him when Cedric was killed, and Harry was hardly that close to him... He's mad about Cho, he's so afraid to lose her..."
"I just hope he doesn't do anything stupid and get himself killed..."
"He won't..."
"Maybe... I would still feel better if I thought he was a little more objective about it all..."
"Well, I know my brothers will help if they're asked, but they won't volunteer..."
"We need all the help we can get..." Hermionie finished. They arrived outside the Three Broomsticks a few minutes later.
"It gives me chills to stand here..." Hermionie said. "Knowing this is where Cho was taken... I almost went with her..."
"Well, you didn't, so let's get inside..." Said Ron, feeling a little uncomfortable himself... They entered the Three Broomsticks and met Fred and George...
The four of them talked for roughly three hours before Ron and Hermionie decided that it was time to get back. They had told Fred and George all that they had found out about the knights, as well as their plan to get the kidnapped students back... The brothers had been receptive to the idea, and had agreed to come with them when their plan was put into effect in a few weeks. The details would be O-Mailed later...
The four walked out of the pub and said their goodbyes... Fred and George took to their broomsticks, and launched themselves to the skies... As soon as they had left the area, it happened...
As if from nowhere, five knights appeared on either side of Ron and Hermionie... The two friends looked to each other, then began to fight the knights, Ron took the left hand five, and Hermionie went for the right hand five...
Ron was much smaller than the knights, but was also quicker... He moved to the first knight, and lunged at him with all his might, throwing a right hook which sent the knight stumbling backwards... He reversed his position, and kicked at the second knight, knocking him to the floor...
Hermionie had decided on slightly different tactics... She had grabbed a chair from one of the few tables outside the door, and used it to knock down the first knight which tried to tackle her... She had then used the chair to divert the now drawn sword of the second warrior, who she then punched square on the nose, causing it to bleed quite badly...
As this was happening, two figures appeared in the sky... The Weasley twins had heard the cries, and turned around... They had conjured what looked to be their old Quidditch bats... They swooped to each set of knights, knocking down the ones closest to Hermionie and Ron, before jumping off their brooms and joining the fist fight...
Fred and Ron managed to take down another of the knights, before they noticed that more were arriving... Ron spoke urgently...
"Grab your brooms! Tell Harry what happened!"
Hermionie obviously had the same thoughts, although she and George seemed to have their knights more or less under control...
"GO! NOW!"
Without answering, the twins raced to their brooms and took off... The knights didn't follow, obviously wanting just Hermionie and Ron. They surrendered. There was no point in them trying to fight off these 30 knights... Even so, without warning, the knights smacked them over their heads with the bats dropped by Fred and George, knocking them out cold...
Twenty minutes later, Fred and George landed at Hagrid's hut, where they had seen Harry and Marcus through the window...
"Harry!" Fred shouted as he knocked on the door... Hagrid opened it as Harry stood up, looking concerned...
"Harry, they took Ron and Hermionie..." George explained... "They took them by surprise after we came out of the Three Broomsticks..."
"We came back when we heard them shouting, but it was too late, there were already too many of the knights..."
"They told us to get away while we could on our brooms, and to tell you what happened..."
Harry simply sat back down, looking totally crushed... Marcus did the same...
"Harry..." Hagrid began. Harry held up his hand to stop him... This was the worst thing that could have happened... His two best friends, his girlfriend... All gone... Finally, he spoke...
"Fred, George... I need to ask you a favour..."
